DE20104857U1 - Device for converting at least one sound signal into at least one speech signal - Google Patents

Description

RICHTER, N/VORDERMANN & GERBAULET

EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEYS - PATENT ATTORNEYS

EUROPEAN TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

HAMBURG · BERLIN

DIPL.-ING. JOACHIM RICHTER - BERLIN DIPL.-ING. HANNES GERBAULHT - HAMBURG DIPL.-ING. FRANZ WERDERMANN - - 1986

NEW WALL IO
2&Ogr;354 HAMBURG
® (04O) 34 00 45/34 OO 56 TELEFAX (04O) 35 24 15

KUFRÜRSTENDAMM &Igr;&Ogr;&Pgr; 9 BERLIN ® (03O) 8 82 74 FAX (030) 8 82 32 IN COOPERATION WITH MAINITZ & MAINITZ LAWYERS · NOTARIES

YOUR SIGN YOUR FILE

OUR SIGN OUR FILE

B 664 III 5436

HAMBURG

19 March 2001 11l/mol

Applicant: BENKHARDT, Axel Willhöden 23 D-22587 Hamburg (DE)

HACK, Andreas Albert-Schweizer-Strasse 17 D-22844 Norderstedt (DE)

Title:

Device for converting at least one audio signal into
at least one voice signal

The present invention relates to a device for converting at least one audio signal, in particular at least one sound signal, into at least one speech signal, in particular into at least one speech output or speech reproduction.

In the case of conventional sound signals, especially sound signals emitted by an apparatus or device, there is a risk of confusion due to the wide range of messages and

Impressions to which a person is exposed today, the danger that these sound signals, especially tone signals, are simply overlooked or even ignored. For example, think of the ringing of a doorbell, the acoustic signal of a timer or the ringing of a telephone, which under certain circumstances is no longer noticed or at least does not attract the necessary attention.

Another problem with such audio signals, especially sound signals, is that they cannot be used to transport or forward information. If we take into account the trend towards the so-called "information society" in this context, such audio signals, especially sound signals, have so far been wasted, i.e. without any informational added value.

Based on the disadvantages and deficiencies set out above, the object of the present invention is to provide a device by means of which information can be made available acoustically on the basis of at least one audio signal, in particular on the basis of at least one sound signal.

This object is achieved by a device having the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and expedient further developments of the present invention are characterized in the subclaims.

According to the teaching of the present invention, the device has at least one actuating unit for generating the sound signal. This actuating unit can, for example, be connected to at least one bell, in particular at least one doorbell, and/or at least one timer,

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•♦ ·

in particular at least one timer, and/or at least one telephone, in particular at least one mobile telephone. At least one speech converter unit for generating the speech signal from the audio signal is connected to this operating unit - at least via remote data transmission.

In the latter case of the mobile telephone, a design is conceivable in which the sound signal, i.e. the ring tone of the mobile telephone when an incoming telephone call is converted into a voice signal in the form of a voice output or voice reproduction in such a way that the user of the mobile telephone is informed of the telephone number or - if assigned to the telephone number in the telephone book of the mobile telephone - the name of the calling person by voice output or voice reproduction.

For this purpose, according to the teaching of the present invention, at least one output unit is provided for acoustically outputting or reproducing various types and/or categories of information in the form of the voice signal. This output unit is connected - at least by remote data transmission - to the operating unit and/or to the

Speech converter unit and receives the impulses required for the output or reproduction of the speech signal from the operating unit and/or the speech converter unit.

In the above example of the mobile telephone, the user of the mobile telephone no longer has to look at the display unit or the screen of the mobile telephone in order to be able to identify the person calling; instead, the user finds out who is calling him or her by means of the voice output or voice playback.

Alternatively or in addition to this, it is also conceivable, in a manner essential to the invention, that the voice output or voice reproduction takes place in the form of an SMS short message (SMS = Short Message Service = mobile radio service for the transmission of short messages) read out to the user by means of the output unit.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the output unit, at least one further, separately positionable output module can be provided for acoustically outputting or reproducing the various types and/or categories of information in the form of voice signals.

One or more such output modules, which can be conveniently connected to the speech converter unit, enable the information triggered by the operating unit and verbalized by the speech converter unit to be provided in a decentralized manner. In this context, it seems particularly commendable that the output module can be operated independently of the output unit in an advantageous manner, whether the output module is positioned at a different location and/or with a different intention than the output unit.

If the present device is to be further developed in a particularly inventive manner, it is recommended that the different types and/or categories of information in the output unit and/or in the output module be stored in the form of

of letters and/or

of numbers and/or

of combinations of letters and numbers and/or

of words and/or

of sentences

For example, the information may be advertising, in particular spoken, preferably short commercials, which are functionally related to the operating unit (for example, in the case of a mobile telephone, a commercial as voice output or voice reproduction, which refers to a period during which telephone calls can be made free of charge or at a reduced rate).

Each type and/or each category of information can expediently be assigned at least one predetermined audio signal, in particular at least one predetermined sound signal. This allows the type and/or category of information to be individually adapted to the respective audio signal, in particular to the respective sound signal, whether by outputting or playing back commercial information during a business telephone call on a mobile telephone.

Alternatively or in addition to this, at least one interface unit, in particular at least one external control panel, can be provided, by means of which the various types and/or categories of information can be freely set and/or selected. This interface unit is advantageously connected to the operating unit and/or to the speech converter unit and/or to the output unit and/or to the output module - at least by remote data transmission, for example by wireless remote data transmission using Bluetooth and/or using GPRS (= General Packet Radio Service) and/or using GSM (= Global System for Mobile Communication) and/or using UMTS (= Universal Mobile Telecommunication System).

In order for the device according to the present invention to work even under adverse external conditions, such as disturbing external noise or even

Noise, is of increased benefit, at least one amplifier unit can be provided for amplifying the speech signals. Such an amplifier unit is expediently

between the speech converter unit and the output unit and/or
between the speech converter unit and the output module

arranged.

In order to optimize the acoustic output or reproduction of different types and/or categories of information in the form of the speech signal, at least one loudspeaker unit can be assigned to the output unit and/or the output module as an alternative or supplementary measure to the amplifier unit, for example by connecting the loudspeaker unit downstream of the output unit and/or the output module.

The invention also relates to the use of a device of the type described above for acoustically outputting or reproducing various types and/or categories of information, in particular advertising, in particular preferably short commercials, in the form of at least one voice signal.

Further embodiments, features and advantages of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiment illustrated by Figure 1.

It shows:

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a device according to the present invention, in a schematic principle representation.

Figure 1 shows a device 100 for converting sound signals into speech signals that are conveyed by voice output or voice reproduction. The device 100 has an actuating unit 10 for generating the sound signal, wherein this actuating unit 10 is a bell with a bell button.

A speech converter unit 20 for generating the speech signals from the audio signals is connected to this operating unit 10 via a connecting line; this speech converter unit 20 is connected - also via a connecting line - to an output unit 30 for acoustically outputting or reproducing various types and categories of information in the form of the speech signals, wherein the output unit 30 is assigned a loudspeaker unit 70.

Parallel to the output unit 30 with loudspeaker unit 70, another, separately positioned output module 40 is arranged for acoustically outputting or reproducing various types and categories of information in the form of speech signals, which is also connected to the speech converter unit 20 and is operated essentially independently of the output unit 30. A loudspeaker unit 80 is also assigned to the output module 40.

The various types and categories of information in the output unit 30 and in the output module 40 are reproduced in the form of words and sentences, with each type and each category of information being assigned a predetermined sound signal, in particular a predetermined ringing signal. Since the information reproduced by the voice signals is advertising, in particular short commercials, the present device 100 is financed according to

the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 in that the user does not have to pay a purchase price when purchasing the present device 100.

An interface unit 50 in the form of an external control panel is connected to the speech converter unit 20, through which the various types and categories of information can be freely set and selected. Furthermore, an amplifier unit 60 is provided for amplifying the speech signals emitted by the output module 40, the amplifier unit 60 being arranged between the speech converter unit 20 and the output module 40.

Claims (15)

1. Device ( 100 ) for converting at least one audio signal, in particular at least one sound signal, into at least one speech signal, in particular into at least one speech output or speech reproduction, comprising - at least one actuating unit ( 10 ) for generating the sound signal; - at least one speech converter unit ( 20 ) connected to the operating unit ( 10 ) at least by remote data transmission for generating the speech signal from the audio signal; and - at least one output unit ( 30 ) connected to the actuating unit ( 10 ) and/or to the speech converter unit ( 20 ) at least via remote data transmission for acoustically outputting or reproducing different types and/or categories of information in the form of the speech signal. 2. Device ( 100 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuating unit ( 10 ) - at least one bell, in particular at least one doorbell, and/or - at least one timer, in particular at least one time switch, and/or - at least one telephone, in particular at least one mobile telephone, assigned. 3. Device ( 100 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one further, separately positionable output module ( 40 ) is provided. 4. Device ( 100 ) according to claim 3, characterized in that the output module ( 40 ) can be connected to the speech converter unit ( 20 ). 5. Device ( 100 ) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the output module ( 40 ) is operable independently of the output unit ( 30 ). 6. Device ( 100 ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the different types and/or categories of information in the output unit ( 30 ) and/or in the output module ( 40 ) in the form - of letters and/or - of numbers and/or - combinations of letters and numbers and/or - of words and/or - of sentences are reproducible. 7. Device ( 100 ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each type and/or each category of information is assigned at least one predetermined sound signal, in particular at least one predetermined tone signal. 8. Device ( 100 ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one interface unit ( 50 ), in particular at least one external control panel is provided, by means of which the different types and/or categories of information can be freely set and/or selected. 9. Device ( 100 ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the interface unit ( 50 ) - with the operating unit ( 10 ) and/or - with the speech converter unit ( 20 ) and/or - with the output unit ( 30 ) and/or - with the output module ( 40 ) at least by remote data transmission. 10. Device ( 100 ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the information is advertising, in particular preferably short commercials. 11. Device ( 100 ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least one amplifier unit ( 60 ) is provided for amplifying the speech signals. 12. Device ( 100 ) according to claim 11, characterized in that the amplifier unit ( 60 ) - between the speech converter unit ( 20 ) and the output unit ( 30 ) and/or - between the speech converter unit ( 20 ) and the output module ( 40 ) is arranged. 13. Device ( 100 ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that at least one loudspeaker unit ( 70 or 80 ) is assigned to the output unit ( 30 ) and/or the output module ( 40 ). 14. Device ( 100 ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the remote data transmission is based on Bluetooth and/or on GPRS (= General Packet Radio Service) and/or on GSM (= Global System for Mobile Communication) and/or on UMTS (= Universal Mobile Telecommunication System). 15. Use of a device ( 100 ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 14 for converting a sound signal, for example a doorbell, a timer, a household timer, a telephone and the like, into a voice signal or into voice information, for example for advertising purposes.